Logistics workers face stress

With more and more goods being bought online there has been disturbing news that workers in the industry are coming under pressure.

Secret filming for the BBC at Amazon’s Swansea warehouse revealed conditions that stress expert Professor Michael Marmot said could mean “increased risk of mental illness and physical illness”.

In a separate development parcel delivery workers at UPS have been driven to strike action over the sacking of a shop steward.

Undercover reporter Adam Littler produced evidence of Amazon night shifts involving up to 11 miles of walking, with the worker expected to collect orders every 33 seconds.

A handset told him what to collect, allotting a set number of seconds to find each product, and he was told if his picking rate was too low he could face disciplinary action. The company said official safety inspections had not raised any concerns, but new recruits were warned some positions are physically demanding.

Meanwhile, unreasonable workloads and alleged bullying seem to have been a factor in the UPS dispute in central London. Drivers and loaders at the Camden depot were due to take a second day of strike action on 20 December. Unite union regional officer Onay Kasab called on the company to negotiate and reinstate the steward, warning that members at other London depots had already voted in favour of action in a consultative ballot.

The company could lose out to its competitors if the underlying issues are not addressed, he added.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25034598

www.unitetheunion.org/news/ups-parcel-strike-called-off-as-rep-is-reinstated